“I enjoyed my family’s company… of course, there were times that it was rough and difficult…”
(1956 – 2020) Angela Nation Barnes was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in She docked in Southampton with her dad aged 13 in 1971.
“I was brought up in church to attend Sunday school… that was good for me, that was a good seed planted in my life.”
“My future ambition [was] to become a stenographer.”
“It was a culture shock for me. I remember my first meal of steak and kidney pie… I thought ‘Oh, this is quite nice’.”
“My dad owned a café in Bute Street, [called] Nations Café. [People] used to come and play dominoes there… my dad was very hospitable… [it] was very nice kind community spirit.”
“I remember all that I was taught from home… I was part of the community for my cooking, creating my own recipes… I used to cook when we [went] the blues…give fried dumplings and saltfish, but I have cooked rice and
peas and chicken and so forth…cooking was my passion…”
“Further down in the 70s, I came second in Miss Butetown in the bay. [When] I became pregnant… I still took a lot of different courses… and built myself up from there in the community…”
“I’ve also had a High Sheriff award.”
“I experienced racism indirect[ly]… they thought to isolate me… I forgive them because… I’m living now as a Christian, I am able to forgive and I have made mistakes because I’m human…”
“I’ve lived here quite a long time, so I’ve sort of adapted to things and being a British citizen, but I still miss home. I wish I could go home every year… In my heart, I feel Jamaican.”
“Roeddwn i’n mwynhau cwmni fy nheulu... wrth gwrs, roedd yna adegau garw ac anodd ...”
(1956 – 2020) Ganed Angela Barnes yn Kingston, Jamaica. Fe gyrhaeddodd ddociau Southampton gyda’i thad yn 13 mlwydd oed yn 1971.
“Fe gefais fy magu yn yr eglwys i fynychu’r ysgol Sul... fe wnaeth hynny les i mi, roedd yn hadyn da a blannwyd yn fy mywyd.”
“Fy uchelgais i’r dyfodol [oedd] i fod yn stenograffydd.”
“Roedd yn sioc ddiwylliannol i mi. Rwy’n cofio’r pryd cyntaf o bastai stêc a ’lwlod... a meddyliais, ‘O, mae hwn yn eithaf blasus’.”
“Roedd fy nhad yn berchennog caffi yn Stryd Bute, [o’r enw] Nations Café, Arferai [pobl] ddod draw a chwarae dominos yno... roedd fy nhad yn lletygar iawn [roedd yno] cymuned braf a chyfeillgar.”
“Rwy’n cofio cymaint a ddysgais i gartref... roeddwn i’n rhan o’r gymuned oherwydd fy nghoginio, yn creu fy rysetiau fy hun... roeddwn i’n arfer coginio pan roedden ni’n [mynd i’r] blues, twmplins wedi’u ffrio a physgod hallt, ond rwyf wedi coginio reis a phys a chyw iâr ac yn y blaen... roeddwn i’n angerddol dros goginio...”
“Yn nes ymlaen yn y 70au, fe ddois i’n ail yn Miss Butetown yn y bae. [Pan] roeddwn i’n feichiog... roeddwn i’n dal i fynd ar amrywiaeth o gyrsiau... ac o’r fan honno wnes i ddatblygu yn y gymuned...”
“Rwyf wedi cael gwobr gan yr Uchel Siryf hefyd.”
“Profiad anuniongyrchol o hiliaeth gefais i... roedden nhw am fy nghadw’n ynysig... rwy’n maddau iddyn nhw oherwydd... rwy’n byw nawr fel Cristion, ac rwy’n gallu maddau, ac rwyf i wedi gwneud camgymeriadau, felly mae bodau dynol...”
“Rwy’n byw yma ers tro byd, felly rwy’ wedi dod i arfer â bywyd a dinasyddiaeth Brydeinig, ond rwy’n hiraethu am fy nghartref o hyd. Fe hoffwn yn fawr pe gallwn fynd adref bob blwyddyn... Yn fy nghalon, Jamaicaidd wyf fi.”